


Not A Bad Thing

by city_bright



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-17
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-01-19 18:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1480420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/city_bright/pseuds/city_bright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by JT's Not A Bad Thing. Set after Think Like A Peter. Danny apologizes to Mindy and wants to try again, but she's not sure if she can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Good Place To Start

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I'm not sure where this fic will go, but it's inspired by JT's Not A Bad Thing. Each chapter will be named after a lyric in the song. Hopefully the chapter title will give you an idea of how the chapter will go or an idea of what either Mindy or Danny is feeling. 
> 
> I hope you guys like this first chapter! It's called "A Good Place To Start." Any comments and suggestions are always welcome! (:

Danny tried multiple times to talk to Mindy...about anything. He craved Mindy storming into his office to talk about the latest celebrity gossip or drama in her life. He desperately wanted to talk to her, hear her voice, and bring back their friendship after their romantic relationship had crashed and burned.

But, Mindy kept ignoring him and turning to Peter to talk about her drama. It hurt him a lot, but he figured he deserved it since he was the one who broke things off. Since Mindy wouldn’t talk to him and Morgan and Tamra wouldn’t talk to him, he turned to Sally. He thought she would be a distraction from Mindy, but boy was he wrong.

Lying in bed with Sally felt weird and uncomfortable. She didn’t fit under the crook of his neck like Mindy did, she didn’t have ridiculously cold feet like Mindy had, she didn’t smell like flowers like Mindy did. She shouldn’t even be in bed with him. It should be Mindy. Always. _No one can take her place._

He blankly stared at the television and then at his Ludlum, neither capturing his attention. Memories of his stay at the hospital started trickling in. They haunted him, reminding him of the way Mindy was fittingly snuggled up on his left side and how she giggled at his British accent when he read Bridget Jones' Diary. Now all he can think about is how he lost Mindy and how he ruined not only his romantic relationship with Mindy, but also their friendship.

He thought they could return to their friendship, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Them not talking ate at him little by little, day by day. He suddenly realized the strong affect she has on him and his life. He has to have her in his life; he needs her in his life.

His eyes went slightly wide in realization as he set his book on his nightstand and shifted his body. Sally removed her head from his chest and looked at him quizzically.

“Is everything alright, Danny?”

“Y-Yeah, everything is…Um, you know what? Actually, I-”

“What is it, Danny?”

“I’m sorry, but tonight was a mistake.”

“What?!”

“It was a mistake to call you tonight. I’m sorry, but I-I think you should go.”

“Are you being serious right now?” She scoffed, flipping the comforter off, and got out of the bed. She looked at him once more and said, “I knew it.”

Danny looked up at her with that puppy dog face, but she continued. “From everything that has happened tonight, it’s obvious that you’re heartbroken and hurting, Danny. You’re somewhere else. Just fix whatever it is that needs fixing, alright? You’ll make life easier on the both of us. Have a nice life, Danny.”

With that, she spun on her heel and exited his bedroom. He let out a sharp exhale, processing Sally’s advice. _Fix whatever needs fixing._ He buried his face in his hands and muttered those words to himself as encouragement for what he was about to do next.

He dropped his hands in his lap and twisted his torso to look over at his night stand where his phone lied. He eyed it for some time before finally plucking up the courage to pick it up and scroll through his contacts.

He landed on Mindy’s contact information and pressed on it, eliciting a picture of Mindy to appear on his screen. He stared at her picture, remembering how she had his phone for a good 45 minutes trying to take the perfect selfie for her contact picture in his phone. He sadly smiled at the picture. He had forgotten what a genuine smile on Mindy looked like and how her eyes sparkled. It seemed like they disappeared after they broke up, and it was all his fault. He ran his hand over his eyes and then through his hair, mentally cursing himself for ruining what they had.

His finger hovered over her cell phone number. He mentally willed his finger to press it, to call her, but his finger didn’t budge. _Fix whatever needs fixing, fix whatever needs fixing._ He chanted these words like a mantra, hoping they can give him the courage to do it. _If you don’t do it now, you’re going to lose her completely. Is that what you want? No, it’s not, so just call her._

He tapped her cell phone number and closed his eyes in anticipation. He slowly put the phone to his ear, tensing up when it started to ring, but he reminded himself that he needed to do this. He waited for something. Her voicemail, a hello, or the tell tale sign of a rejected call. Anything.

He took a deep breath, realizing that she wasn’t going to pick up. _Why would she? She probably hates me and doesn’t want to talk to me right now._

He removed his phone from his ear ever so slightly before he heard a soft voice on the other line.

“Danny?”


	2. See You Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a transitional chapter of sorts. You find out a little more of how both Mindy and Danny feel about the break up, each other, and the impending meet up.
> 
> I hope you guys like it! Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions. I really love reading what you guys have to say (:

He was not expecting Mindy to answer his call let alone pick up and say something. He swallowed hard, hoping the lump in his throat would disappear. His mouth was suddenly dry, and a sheen of perspiration had started to collect at the ridge of his eyebrows.

"Danny? Hellooo? Danny!" She was getting frustrated with his silence. "Ugh, I'm hanging up!"

"Wait, no!"

Mindy annoyingly huffed. "What is it, Danny?" He could practically hear her eyes roll on the other line, which made him a little giddy inside because it's one of the many things he has grown to love.

"I just...I-." He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts and lower his heart rate. At this rate, he was going to pass out or something. "Can we talk?"

"Uhh, that's what we're doing right now, Danny."

He squeezed his eyes shut, becoming impatient with the route of this conversation. "Okay, yes, that's what we're doing right now, but I mean like…Look. Can we grab a cup of coffee together or something?"

The words hung in the air as he waited for her response. Eyes still closed, he waited for the sound of her voice, hoping and wishing she would agree to meet up with him. He needed to repair the relationship he cracked before it was truly too late to fix it. After what seemed like forever, Mindy finally broke the heavy silence hanging between them.

"Um, I don't think...that'll be a good idea."

He stammered incoherently, taken aback by her brazenness. He didn't know what to do. He hadn't planned for her saying no. In retrospect, he probably should have, but he was too occupied with overcoming his fears and cowardice. He dragged his free hand down his face and sighed, dropping his hand in his lap. He was tapping his fingers against his knee when a wave of bravery washed over him, suddenly giving him courage to press on.

"Please, Min? It'll only take 15 minutes, okay? I won't take no for an answer. I'll even buy you a bear claw."

He squinted his eyes and scrunched his face, hoping her favorite pastry will get her to say yes. He heard her sigh in slight defeat, indicating that she was going to comply. "Ugh, you know your audience. Alright, fine. Tomorrow during our lunch break okay?"

"That'll be great. Thanks, Mindy."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, Danny. Don't forget the bear claw!"

"Bye, I won't." He hung up and tossed his phone to the opposite side of his bed. A huge weight was suddenly lifted off his shoulder. He felt so much relief. He realized that he's not even close to winning her back, but this was a great first step. He draped his comforter over his body, turned off the tv, and settled himself into the bed. He smiled, thankful that she agreed to meet with him. He has hope.

* * *

Mindy plopped back onto her lush comforter after she hung up on Danny. She groaned and grunted in frustration and confusion, combing over the reasons why Danny might want to talk to her and what he wanted to talk to her about. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to talk to him.

She thought she had successfully avoided him thus far. It had been a bumpy road with a few awkward chats and run-ins along the way, but nothing her inner Beyoncé Pad Thai couldn't handle.

She cried herself to sleep that night he broke up with her. She felt broken and empty like she had failed herself, failed Danny, and failed their relationship. It hurt her tremendously, and quite honestly, it hurt to love him (yes, love him). For years, she had tried to be his friend. When she saw glimpses of the wall he built around his heart crumble, she was happy to see him open up and care for her more and more. However, it seemed to regenerate because as soon as he said something nice, he went back to being a jerk by saying something mean.

And when they had become real friends, the wall he built crumbled a little more, but didn't rebuild itself as quickly or as much as it used to. She thought the wall was almost down, if not completely gone, when they started going out. She hadn't seen this flirtatious, constantly smiling, and happy version of Danny before in her life. But that night. That damn night when he called everything off, the wall shot up out of nowhere. It hurt more than anything she has ever experienced. The despair she felt after breaking up with Casey seemed like a walk in the park compared to the pain and hurt she felt after Danny broke up with her.

Her relationship with Danny didn't feel like any other relationship she had ever been in. All of her past relationships paled in comparison. She knew it was special, so she went against every dating instinct she had. She took things slow, abstained from having sex with him, tried to keep their relationship hidden for him, and yet it still failed. She didn't know where the hell she went wrong.

Okay, maybe she could have done without the whole "trying to make Danny jealous with Peter" fiasco, but that darn Brooke was draping herself all over Danny, and he didn't do anything about it! She didn't fully understand why Danny had wanted to keep their relationship a secret. He didn't need to say it, but she knew that he was embarrassed by her and their relationship.

Now, she had given up. She decided it wasn't worth the effort, the happiness, and the love anymore if Danny was going to shut down on her eventually. She couldn't put herself through that again. She's been through enough rejection and devastation to last a lifetime.

She didn't want to face him. At all. _Ugh, maybe I can fake my own kidnapping again or something. Uch, who am I kidding? That's never going to work in a million years._ She groaned again, realizing that there's no way out of this.

She didn't necessarily hate him or was angry with him. Honestly, she simply didn't understand. He never fully explained why he was afraid or why he kissed her or why he ended this before it truly began.

As she thought about it, maybe a talk with him wouldn't be such a bad idea. She might actually get some of her questions answered and if she was lucky, closure.


	3. Staring Back At Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Another transitional chapter of sorts. I know I'm making you guys wait for the coffee meet up haha but it's coming, I swear.

Mindy woke up the next morning with a looming sense of dread. _Today's the day_. She peeled herself out of her bed and padded to her bathroom to get ready.

After showering, shaving, blow drying, and make up applying, she entered her walk in closet to choose an outfit. _I gotta look hot for the date...wait, is it date? No, right? No, it can't be a date. Never. No. Shut it down, Mindy. Focus._ She ran her fingers over the different materials of her clothes. _What to wear, what to wear?_ She figured she had to look hot and amazing enough for Danny to realize that he's not getting any of her hot bod anymore, but not so hot as to rub it in his face that she had nicely recovered from the break up.

In reality, she hadn't completely recovered, but he didn't have to know that.

She settled on a knee-length mustard yellow column dress with a cinched waist and a white belt. It hugged her curves in all the right places while still remaining professional enough for work. Plus, it helped that the color complemented her skin tone, so she looked radiant. She pulled her cerulean blue coat off a hanger, slipped her feet into a pair of black heels, and planted herself in front of her mirror. _Not bad, Lahiri, not bad. You're a warrior. Beyoncé Pad Thai the crap out of this day._ She victoriously spun on her heal and rounded the corner. She grabbed her purse and triumphantly walked out, determined not to let anything or anyone ruin her day.

* * *

Danny was in the bullpen reading his messages when she came in for work. He didn't even need to look up from his messages to know it was her. He heard her chirpy voice lingering in the waiting room from the main office. He tried his best not to look up and catch a glimpse of her, but he couldn't help it. It had become a habit, but boy, did he regret it this morning.

He swears on his life he stood there with his mouth open like a fish gasping for air. She had glided in, greeting Betsy in a rather cheerful manner with a wide and bright smile on her face. He even thinks he saw her eyes sparkle, but that wasn't the only thing. She looked so beautiful, and that dress was doing her a lot of favors. In his opinion, she didn't need anything to look beautiful, but in that moment, she looked absolutely incredible. _I am a stupid, stupid man._

In an effort to avoid getting caught staring, he lowered his head and feigned interest in his mail, but he couldn't help darting his eyes up to steal a look. He saw that she had finished talking to Betsy and was starting to walk in his direction. He immediately looked down at his hands, and then he smelled her perfume that had wafted to his nose, which weakened his resolve. He looked up at a glowing and smiling Mindy.

"We're still on for coffee during lunch, right?"

He cleared his throat, not trusting it to sound normal when he spoke. "Yeah, we, uh, we're still doing that."

"Great, I'll see you then." She gave him a pat on the shoulder and headed for her office. Danny eye's couldn't help but follow her retreating figure. _Oh boy._

* * *

Once in the safety of her office, she slumped in her chair and closed her eyes. _It's going to be a long day._ She walked into the office with confidence, but seeing Danny still broke her heart a little. Seeing him just reminded her of what had happened that night after the party. Plus there's only so much Beyoncé Pad Thai could fight in one day. However, she did notice how Danny appreciatively looked at her when she walked in. At least she had that in her favor today.

She did her best to go through the first few hours of work without thinking about her impending coffee meet up with Danny. It certainly didn't help that they work in the same place, but thankfully, the morning passed without incident.

She was hurriedly typing on her laptop when she felt a presence at her door. She didn't have to look up to know it was Danny.

Danny softly knocked on her door and leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Min? You ready to go?"

She grimaced ever so slightly at the nickname that only Danny seemed to call her. At first she loved hearing and having the nickname, but after he broke up with her, it sounds...wrong or something. Still not looking up from her screen, she responded nonchalantly. "Yeah, just give me a minute, will ya?"

Danny gave her a small nod and started playing with Mindy's carpet with his feet as he waited. Mindy stalled at her computer. She was half expecting him to wait for her by the elevator because there's something about walking to the elevator together that seemed very date-like and intimate. However, when he didn't move from his post, she closed her laptop and exuberantly (and maybe a little too much, but hey, she was nervous) said, "Ready!"

He looked up at her with his soft, brown eyes, and it did things to Mindy. She hated how just his eyes could make her melt and weak in the knees.

"Great," he replied in his soft and hopeful tone of voice.

She grabbed her coat off the back of her chair and swiftly breezed past him to avoid his gaze, and let's face it, his smell. Ever since they had started a romantic relationship, her nose just seemed so keen on picking up his cologne whenever he was close by. It made her feel nostalgic, sad, angry, and hopeless.

Once she was in front of the elevator, she aggressively punched the down button in nervousness, as if it would make the elevator arrive to the third floor faster. She caught Danny's figure out of the corner of her eye and punched harder and faster.

"You okay there, Mindy? Punching the button like that isn't going to make the elevator get here any faster."

"I know," she said with a hint of annoyance. "I'm just excited for coffee is all."

He chuckled. "I don't think you need coffee. It seems like you have enough energy with the way you're punching that button."

She quickly turned her head to look him square in the eyes. "Ha, ha, Castellamo. Very funny." She returned her gaze to the elevator doors. Danny's light heartedness unnerved her even further. _He's the one who wanted to talk. Why isn't he more nervous about this? He actually looks happy and stuff. Oh my god, is he going to tell me he's dating someone already?_

"Min? Mindy!"

"Huh, what?" She snapped out of her reverie and turned to search Danny's face.

"I said, where do you want to get coffee? I was thinking about that cafe a couple blocks away, but I know you don't like that one waitress there."

The elevator doors opened up, and they walked in together as she thought about his question. "Ohh, right. Yeah, um, that cafe is fine. I think as long as we sit in the back, she won't gawk at me again. God, she was such a bitch. Do you remember, Danny? It's like hey, lady, mind your business, alright? So what I took a dozen or so packs of Sweet N Lows? That's what they're on the table for!"

"Okay, alright. Don't get riled up again." He could tell she was nervous by the way she was rambling.

"I'm not, Danny! I'm just saying that she just needed to mind her business and stop judging me. You know, I bet she was just jealous of how good I looked that day. She looked at me up and down and gave me the snidest compliment." The elevator dinged, and they walked out into the lobby.

He playfully chuckled at her passionate musings. "Yeah, I know, Mindy. I was there."

"Yeah...well." She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress and pressed forward, suddenly feeling comfortable now that they have fallen back into their familiar banter. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Let's talk when we get there. I think it'll be better if we sat down for this."

Now, Mindy was getting really worried. _Better if we sat down for this?! No one says that for a casual chat. Oh god, I bet he's going to tell me he's dating someone already. Or worse. Like he's going to die. OH MY GOD._ "Danny, Danny, you're not going to tell me you're dying right?! You're like eighty years old and that's a very likely age for people to die! You can't die on me! I know you broke up with me and stuff, but I'm not that heartless!"

Danny looked at her incredulously. "No! Mindy, I am not dying! And I'm not eighty years old! We were born in the same decade, alright."

"Alright, alright. Then, I'm glad you're not dying."

"Thank you." It warmed his heart to know that she still cared for his well-being despite what he did to her. He knew she wasn't willing for him to die or anything, but it comforted him to know that if he was going to die, Mindy wouldn't necessarily celebrate his death and dance on his grave.

The cafe came into their line of sight, and they seemingly sighed at the same time, but for very different reasons. But one thing was for sure for the both of them: the conversation they are about to have will change everything.


	4. All I Want From You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The moment you've all been waiting for! Well, maybe lol Thank you to every single one of you for reading this and leaving such wonderful reviews! You guys are so supportive! I hope you enjoy this chapter (:

The ambience of the cafe was very lively with the clank of silverware against cups and plates, but wasn't so loud that you had to raise your voice. It was actually kind of romantic and homey with the wooden tables, beams in the ceiling, twinkling lights draped from beam to beam, and smell of coffee beans and sugar.

Thankfully, the rude waitress was not working when Mindy and Danny arrived at the cafe; however, they still sat towards the back for some privacy. Once they had settled comfortably in the booth and ordered a black coffee, a caramel macchiato, and a bear claw, they sat in uncomfortable silence.

They simultaneously said "so," which made them laugh, breaking the tension and awkwardness a little bit.

"I guess I'll start since I was the one who wanted to talk." He looked down and fiddled with his fingers. He hadn't prepared anything, but he figured an apology would be a good place to start.

"Mindy, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I was a complete jerk for breaking up with you. I made the mistake of letting you go. I was talking to Sally, and she told me to fix whatever it is that needs fixing, so I- "

"Wh-wait. Sally? Peter's sister, Sally?" She interrupted, tilting her head and widening her eyes in wonder. _He hadn't mentioned they had started talking again._ She thought that their brief introduction in the break room was it. After seeing how uncomfortable Danny was when they first met, she didn't think they would hit things off.

"Yeah." He stammered, seeing hurt and confusion flash across her face before she returned her focus on the bear claw. "I called her last night. I was feeling lonely and discouraged when you didn't want to talk to me yesterday, and I thought...I don't know, I thought she was just a warm body to keep me company."

"Oh," she replied dejectedly, sighing deeply.

"She told me to fix things, and she was right. I want to fix this; I want to give us another chance at making things right."

"I don't know, Danny. You broke my heart, and you hurt me."

"I-I know. And I'm sorry, I truly am. I never meant to hurt you, Min. I would never intentionally hurt you like that."

"I know you wouldn't, but you still did, Danny. That's never going to change." They were momentarily relieved of an awkward silence when their waiter arrived with their drinks and Mindy's bear claw. Mindy took a sip of her beverage and picked up her fork to poke at her bear claw.

Danny sighed heavily as he took in the weight of her words. "I know, you're right. I know I can't take it back, but I want to try again. Do you think we could give this another shot?"

She studied his face, hoping maybe, just maybe, it could give her an answer or an indication of what to say or do next. She saw the sincerity, hope, want and pain in his eyes and the worry and anticipation lining his face. Memories of them kissing, touching each other, being happy together, waking up next to each other, and eating breakfast together flooded her mind. She wanted to say yes, let's do it, let's get back together, but something was holding her back.

She looked down at her bear claw, poking it once more, and then back up at him again, but with a different perspective this time. She recalled all those nights she cried herself to sleep, all those moments when she felt like she wasn't good enough for him, all those moments when she wanted to work at another practice just so she didn't have to see him every day on the subway or at work. She remembered how long it took to finally be okay with being in the same room as him, with looking at him, with talking to him about things other than obstetrics and gynecology. She had just gotten to the point where she didn't see pancakes and French toast as something he made for her in the morning, the subway as a daunting possibility of running into each other, and her bedroom as the scene of the crime. She was finally in a place where she's fine with being friends with Danny. Sure, there had been times when he says "Min" or looks at her with those eyes, and it would elicit a flash of hurt and sadness, but she was okay. She was _finally_ okay.

Part of her couldn't believe what she was going to do next, but the other part of her thought she was saving herself, protecting herself from a world of hurt when he would eventually close up and run again.

Without warning, tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her voice came out like a whisper, but it was shaking as her emotions took over her body. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I can't." She wiped her cheeks, grabbed her purse, and stormed out of the cafe, leaving an openmouthed, dumbstruck Danny and an untouched bear claw.


	5. Is It Too Much To Ask?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I don't know when I'll update next, but I hope I'll update by next Tuesday. If I don't update by next Tuesday, feel free to give me a kick and tell me to update LOL
> 
> Anyways, more sadliness, more angst, more emotions.

When Danny had finally comprehended Mindy's departure, he threw a couple of bills on the table and ran out of the cafe. By the time he made it out onto the sidewalk, she was no where to be seen. He called her and texted her with no response. He went back to the practice in hopes that she went back to work, but Betsy told him that Dr. Lahiri called to cancel the rest of her appointments for the day. He told Betsy to do the same to his schedule as he ran out of the practice.

He desperately pounded on Mindy's apartment, begging her to open the door. When that didn't work, he pressed his ear against the door, hoping to hear muffled voices on the tv, feet against her hardwood floor, crying, breathing, anything. Just anything to let him know she was there. When he heard nothing, he slumped in front of her door. He tilted his head back to rest on her door and closed his eyes. He decided to wait for her to either come out of her apartment or come back home from wherever she was.

After a few hours, he realized she wasn't coming out. Or coming home. He mindlessly went back home, emotionally numb, unable to think. When he reached his apartment, he sighed, remembering those nights when Mindy had slept over and those mornings when he had made breakfast for her. He padded up his steps, not ready to face his apartment. When he turned into his hallway, he saw something white on his door.

He approached the door and saw a handwritten note that said, "Danny-I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." There was no name on it, but he knew it was from Mindy. He traced the ink with his fingers like it was the last he had of her. He didn't know where she went, where she was, or what she was thinking. He didn't know anything. His world suddenly felt cold and empty.

He took the note off his door and walked into his apartment, heading straight for his liquor cabinet. He threw back three shots of tequila before he just gave up his shot glass and drank straight out of the bottle. He grimaced at the burning sensation, but he didn't care. It was better than the emotional pain.

Note still clutched in hand, he lazily walked to his bedroom, suddenly hating it. Hating it for reminding him of her. He didn't even try to make it to his bed. He lowered himself to the floor and curled up, staring at the darkness ahead. Tears left his eyes on their own accord, slowly making their way down his cheeks. He made no sound; he just laid there, slightly shaking...until he saw a twinkle.

He wiped his eyes and squinted to get a better view, and he saw two small, sparkling objects. He got up, walked to the side of his bed, and bent down to pick them up. Earrings. Mindy's earrings.

They rested heavily in his palm, but her earrings gave him hope. They gave him a piece of her like a token to remember her by. He knew he would keep them safe until he decided what to do with them. Maybe he'll give them back, maybe he'll keep them, he doesn't know. He crawled into bed, not bothering to change out of his clothes, with her earrings firmly grasped in his hand, and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, he woke up with a pounding headache. He brought his hands to his eyes, wondering how he got here. The last thing he remembers was lying on the floor. Then it came rushing back. Her earrings. He jerked up, desperately feeling under his pillows and the hills and valleys of his scrunched up comforter.

"No. No, no, no, no, this can't be happening." He got out of his bed as fast as he could, but stumbled. _Ugh, bad idea_. He pressed his eyes shut, waiting for his head to stop spinning. Finally regaining his balance, he went on his hands and knees, looking for the last thing he had left of her. When he didn't find them under or around his bed, he peeled everything away. He flipped the comforter, throwing it to the floor when he still didn't find them. He pulled the pillow cushions out of their cases; he pulled away the mattress cover. He moved the mattress away from the headboard, hoping to find them wedged between the two. _Oh, thank god._

He found them, desperately reaching his fingers into the narrow space between the mattress and headboard. He pulled them out and settled on his bed, head bent down, clutching onto her earrings like a lifeline. He didn't know what he would do without them. Suddenly, these earrings were all he had left of her, and he would never lose them again. He put them in his leather jacket coat and mustered as much strength as he could to get ready for work.

He hoped Mindy would be there, but she didn't show up for work that morning or for every morning for the rest of the week. He had called her multiple times a day, each time muttering "pick up, pick up, pick up" under his breath. And each time she didn't, the harsh reality hit him. He didn't know what to do anymore, so he just stopped calling her completely.

The next week, he was greeted with the sight of Mindy. He looked at her expectedly when she walked in on Monday morning, hoping she would look at him or talk to him about her running out, but she didn't. With each passing day they didn't talk, Danny grew increasingly frustrated and hopeless. They didn't talk until Friday afternoon, just after everyone left the office for the day.

She knocked on his door and peaked in.

"Morgan, I told you. I'm not going to drive you back to Rockaway. I won't do it!" He looked up from his paperwork and saw Mindy. "Oh…sorry, I thought you were Morgan." He returned his focus to his paperwork, ignoring Mindy shuffling in and taking a seat in front of his desk. "Can I help you with anything?"

"I want to talk to you...about the other day," she replied nervously.

Still focused on his work, he monotonously said, "I don't know, Mindy. It didn't seem like you wanted to talk all this week or last week."

"Okay...I guess I deserved that. Listen, I'm sorry for abandoning you at the cafe, not giving you an explanation, and not returning your calls. I thought you hated me for saying that I couldn't give us another chance. I thought you didn't want anything to do with me."

He was starting to get frustrated. "Oh, and you think me calling you every single day meant that I didn't want anything to do with you?" He threw his pen on his files and ran his hands down his face.

"I still want us to be friends, Danny."

"Well, Mindy, we all can't get what we want, can we? You ignored me for almost two weeks!"

"Yes, I did, and I'm sorry, Danny. I turned off my phone and went to Gwen's."

"Well, what about this entire week when you had your phone on? Did the missed calls notifications just disappear?"

"I-I don't know what you want me to say or what you want from me."

"I want you, Mindy! I want you to _fight_ for us! Why can't you see that?!"

"Well, I can't do that."

"Then, I don't know what to do anymore, Mindy. I don't."

"Can we at least try to be friends? I thought we were doing okay before all this."

"Maybe you were," he mumbled under his breath as he avoided her gaze.

"Excuse me?!" She yelled as she stood up, outraged. "You think I asked for this? You think I was all fine and dandy after you broke up with me? You think it was easy for me to see the man who broke my heart every single fucking day? Well, you're wrong, Danny! Do you know how many nights I cried over you, wondering what I could have _possibly_ done to deserve my best friend breaking my heart? No, you don't, so don't sit there and act like you were the only one who got hurt because you weren't. Dammit, Danny, I am trying to fix this because I actually care about you, and you are my friend. Unless you want to throw away our friendship too. Then what you said about needing and having me in your life is complete and utter bullshit." At some point, tears escaped her eyes, but they weren't sad tears. They were fueled with pain and anger.

He stood up as well staring squarely into her eyes. "Throw away our friendship? I never wanted to throw away our friendship. If anything, I was trying to save it! I thought I was doing the right thing! Besides, you were the one who didn't talk to me, look at me, or even return my calls for two weeks. And you ran away from me! You think _that's_ friendship?! At least I tried, Mindy. I tried. Even after we broke up, I tried to be friends with you and make things go back to normal, but you were the one who kept pushing me away. Even after you ran out on me at the cafe, at least I called you and went running around the city looking for you! And when you finally came back to work, you didn't even have the decency to apologize or tell me where you were. You had to wait a full two weeks to come and talk to me."

"I told you, Danny. I was scared, okay?! I wanted to give you your space."

He scoffed. "Please."

"Oh, so you're allowed to be scared, but I'm not?! Is that what this is?"

"What?!"

"You heard me! You're so angry at me for running away from you that you don't even realize that you did the same thing to me when you broke up with me! You ran from me, and you got scared. You waited like what, one month? Two months, maybe, before you called me and apologized to me for making a mistake. How is this any different? Tell me."

He looked down at his desk, realizing she was right. He softly replied, "It's not."

"Exactly. See, Danny." She groaned. "This is exactly why I couldn't give us another chance. We may want to kill each other as least once a day, and I honestly don't mind it because that's just who we are, but this." She motioned between them. "This fighting, this miscommunication, this fear and all this hurt we cause each other. It's not healthy. We can't work like this."

He rounded his desk and stood in front of her. "But I'm willing to fight for this, Mindy. I _want_ to fight and work for you and this relationship. I want to take another chance on us because I truly believe we can make it work. I'm not stupid enough to let you go again."

"Yeah, but I'm not."

"I don't get it, Mindy." He threw his hands up. "I've seen how hard you've fought for relationships before. You fought for Casey, you cut your hair for him, and you went to Haiti with him. I've seen you fight especially hard with Cliff. He broke up with you because he didn't trust you yet you took the next flight out of Los Angeles to win him back." He voice cracked, and the tears pooled in his eyes when he asked, "Why can't you fight for us the same way you fought for them? What is it about us that makes you want to quit? Was our relationship so much worse than those that you can't even fight for us?"

"I can't fight for us because if we didn't work out...I don't think I could recover from that. To fight so damn hard for us and then have it fail? I can't go through another break up with you, Danny. I just can't. The first one was hard enough. I barely got through that one. _We_ barely got through that one. If we break up again, what will be left of our friendship to salvage? We had only been dating for a month, and we barely even worked at our relationship. Can you even imagine the world of pain we would put ourselves through if we actually fought for each other, and it didn't work out?"

He took her hands in his and squeezed reassuringly."Yeah, but...but what if we succeed and-and we get married, have kids with your smile and my eyes, and live a happy life together, Mindy? I don't know about you, but I feel like if we tried, this would be it, no question about it. I can see you walking down the aisle, I can see us fighting over baby names. I can see us having our first child together, I can see you hosting extravagant parties in our home while I'm pretending to hate it when I'm actually loving it. I can see me coming home to you, giving you a kiss hello and having a little mini-Mindy run up to greet me. I can see it. But, most importantly, I _want_ all of that with you, Min. I really do. There's no one like you. No one has ever made me happier than you do. No one. You're my best friend, Min. I can't lose you." Those last four words quivered out of him as he tried to hold back his tears. He saw how apologetic she looked, and that's when he realized that he lost his chance.

"I can't either...which is why I can't fight for us. I can't risk it, Danny." Her voice cracked and wavered the same way it did when they first broke up.

He took a deep breath, wanting so badly to continue to fight for her and their relationship, to further convince her that they could have something wonderful together. He didn't want to let her go this easily and quickly, but if one person had given up, it was never going to work. He brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb, and in one last ditch effort to make her change her mind, to reevaluate her decision, he said, "Mindy, I love you. I'm going to love you no matter what, I hope you know that. I want you to be happy."

"I want you to be happy too, but it can't be with me. I'm sorry."

"I-" He scratched the back of his neck. _That's it. It's over._ He reached out to cup her cheek. "Alright...okay, if this is what you want, then I can't stop you."

He sighed, dropping his hand from her cheek, and reached into his lab coat pocket, pulling out Mindy's earrings. Palms facing up, he reached out to her and softly said, "Here. I found these in my apartment. I thought you might like them back."

"Thank you."

He leaned down to place a quick but tender and soft kiss on her lips, stroking her cheek like he always does, and then drew her in for a hug. He forced himself to remember how she feels tucked under chin and her coconut smelling hair because as far as he knew, this was the last time he was able to do this. He rested his cheek on top of her head for a couple of seconds before placing a kiss on her head.

They both withdrew, and she had started crying again. And apparently so had Danny because Mindy jokingly said, "Aw, Danny. Don't cry. It's not like we're losing each other."

He sniffled and chuckled, wiping away her tears once again. "Well, it sure feels like it."

She sniffled, putting on her bravest face. "We're going to be okay, alright? Don't worry about us."

He nodded and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. She kissed him on the cheek and turned around to leave. She stopped at his door and looked back at him. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

He gave her a sad smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, she walked out of his office and seemingly, out of his reach.


	6. Heal It Over Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me start by profusely apologizing for the extreme delay between chapter 5 and chapter 6. I really wrote myself into a hole. I had such a hard time trying to find a way to get Mindy and Danny back together. I lost all motivation to write this fic. It was just bad. In these past few months, I've written the rest of the fic, so the wait in between the next few chapters will be significantly shorter. Thank you so much to those who read this fic. I hope chapter 6 is good enough for those of you who have waited so long. 
> 
> Like I said, I had trouble trying to get Mindy and Danny back together. I'm not completely happy with chapter 6, mostly because I feel like the plot in this chapter has been done before, and I feel like it's similar to the actual Mindy and Danny, so I feel very ugh about this. However, I didn't know what else to write, so I just decided to let it be. In any case, I hope you enjoy it. Again, I'm so sorry for the huge wait. I hope you guys like it (:

It’d been hard for Danny. He moped around for days, weeks even, after that fateful day, but he put on a brave face for her. He was willing to do anything for Mindy if it made her happy. If that meant not being with him, then so be it. However, he wasn’t going to give up that easily. He would do anything in the hopes that she’ll open her eyes and see what they could be. He knew he didn’t have the best track record of being the greatest boyfriend, but he hoped that if he was a good enough friend, if he could somehow prove to her that he was worth the risk, maybe she would come back to him.

Luckily, they fell back into their usual dynamic. It took a couple of months, but things between them seemed to be as normal as could be. Danny helped Mindy with any at-risk patients and vice-versa, they commuted to work together if their schedules synced that morning, and neither one felt the need to leave if the other entered the doctors lounge during their shifts at the hospital. It was nice...Until Dave entered the picture.

One morning, Mindy came into the office, high spirited, talking excitedly about meeting this guy named Dave and how handsome and funny he is. Danny quietly slipped into his office before he heard any details. He was happy that she was happy, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear all the details of her newest boyfriend. He thought it wouldn’t sting as much as long as he distanced himself from this guy like if he pretended - what was his name? David? - didn’t exist.

But, of course, Mindy still somehow sucked him into her world. Like a moth to a flame. Danny couldn’t stay away.

**July 21, 6:56 PM**  
 **To Danny:**

**Danny! 911! Come to my apt stat!!!!**

**July 21, 6:57 PM**  
 **To Mindy:**

**I’ll be there in 10. Don’t go anywhere!**

Thinking that the worst has happened, Danny frantically pounded on Mindy’s door. “Mindy, are you alright?! Please, open up!”

Mindy swung open the door and huffed. “What took you so long?!”

“What?! I got here as fast as I could! What’s the emergency?”

She rolled her eyes and turned around to walk to her closet. “I need help deciding which dress to wear for my date.”

He annoyingly huffed. “That’s your emergency?! Are you kidding me? Just wear whatever you usually wear to first dates. You don’t need my help.”

“Danny, this is a very serious matter! This is my first date with Dave, and I need a guy’s opinion on this. So, are you going to help me or not?”

He really didn’t want to. He thought it was borderline cruel of her to ask him to judge her appearance when he obviously thinks she’s perfect and beautiful. It was like she was pushing how much he can handle seeing her dressing up and looking pretty for another guy. He sighed, knowing this was probably the worst idea in the world. “Sure.”

“Yes! Thank you!” She kissed him on the cheek before pushing him out into the hallway so she could change.

“So…this Dave guy. What’s he like?” he asked, feeling awkward from the sounds of zippers and ruffling fabric.

“Oh, he’s great, Danny! He seems like a nice and genuine guy. I like him. Plus, he’s a financial analyst on Wall Street. Beyoncé and Jay Z will have nothing on us, Danny.”

“Who?”

She opened the door, wearing a bright yellow body con dress. “Beyoncé and Jay Z, Danny! Only the most powerful couple in the world! I cannot believe you don’t know who they are. Remind me to make you a playlist of their music. They collaborated on a song called Drunk In Love. It’s so hot, Danny. It’s basically a sequel to their other song Crazy In Love. I mean, imagine how much they love each other if you have to upgrade from ‘crazy’ to ‘drunk.’”

He didn’t hear a word she said the second she opened the door. Mouth slight agape, he openly gawked at her.

“Danny! Are you paying attention? Beyoncé and Jay Z!”

“Yeah, yeah,” he stammered, feeling a little warm. “Power, couple, music.”

“That wasn’t great, but at least you got the gist of it.” She spun around to show off her dress. “So, what do you think?”

“Ummm.” He wiped his brow and looked at her up and down. “No, It’s… It’s too bright.” That was a total lie. It contrasted perfectly with her dark complexion. _Why did I agree to this?_

“Too bright?! What are you talking about? It’s basically awesome.”

“It’s like I’m looking at the sun.”

“Ugh, you’re the worst.” She turned against her heel to retreat back into her closet.

“You said you wanted my opinion, and that was my opinion.”

“Whatever. Anyway, I heard that they totally rejected Kimye’s wedding invitation.”

“Who?!”

“Kimye, Danny! Do I have to spell everything out for you?”

“Uh, yeah, that’d be great, actually.”

She opened the door once again, wearing a midnight blue shift dress. “Okay, what about this one?”

“That’s...better?”

“Why are you saying it like that? Is it better than the yellow one or not?”

“I don’t know. You look nice in both of them. Just choose one; you can’t go wrong with either one. If he’s a decent man, he’s not going to care what kind of dress you wear anyway. He’s going to be there for you, not for the dress you wear.” He shrugged and gave her a small smile.

“Thanks, Danny. You’re sweet. I’m right, you know.”

“Right about what?”

“That under that gristle and icy exterior, a warm heart beats.”

“Huh. I guess you are right.” They smiled at each other for the briefest moment. Danny quickly looked down and said, “I, uh, better go. I don’t want to keep you from getting ready.”

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” She crossed her arms as they silently walked to the door.

He opened the door and turned around. “Have fun on your date.”

“Thanks. And thanks for helping me.”

“Anytime. Bye, Min.”

“Bye, Danny.” With that, he closed the door behind him, releasing a breath he didn’t knew he held.  
__________________

Mindy stared at her phone. She knows she shouldn’t do it. Not that it was a terrible thing to do, but it certainly wasn’t the best thing. Is it cheating if you call your ex-boyfriend to come over to make you soup and keep you company? She feels like it is. There has to be some kind of rule about this. Does she really need _Danny’s_ soup? She could just order soup from the Chinese place down the street and call it a day.

 _No. You know what? It’ll be fine. It’ll be good. It’s just a friend making soup for another friend. No big deal._ She tapped Danny’s name on her screen and brought her phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Danny,” she chirped, extending the ‘y’ sound of his name. “What are you up to?”

He sighed. “I’m doing paperwork. What do you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“You never say my name like that unless you want something. What is it?”

She crossed her fingers. “Can you come over and make me your famous soup?”

“Why can’t Dave make you soup? And why do you need soup? Are you sick again?”

“He’s working, and yes. I went out clubbing with Alex and Maggie last night, and we were drunk as we walked around the fountain at the Lincoln Center. Surprisingly, the security guards didn’t remember me when I fell into the fountain the three other times I was there.”

“Wait a minute. You fell into the fountain for the fourth time!?”

She fiddled with some stray yarn from the throw draped over her. “Maybe.”

He groaned. “You are something else, Min.”

“So, will you come over?”

“It’s 10:30 am. I can’t.”

“How about after work?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tonight! Thanks, Danny!”  
_______________

He knocked on the door at 8 PM, with a large container of his famous chicken noodle zuppa tucked under his arm.

“It’s open!”

He walked in, spotting Mindy on her couch, and took in the sight of her apartment. “Jesus, Min. Your apartment looks terrible! It’s like a tornado hit this place.”

“Hey! No making fun of the apartment of a dying person.”

“You’re not dying. You just have a cold,” he deadpanned.

“Yeah, yeah. Just hand over the soup.”

He called out from the kitchen where he was heating the soup in the microwave. “It’s not soup! It’s zuppa. There’s a big difference!”

“What? A Staten accent?” She laughed at her own awesome wit.

He handed her the bowl of soup. “Alright, well, I’m gonna go if you don’t need anything else.”

“You’re not going to stay?”

“W-well...I- I was just gonna head back to my apartment because I have some things to fix and take care of around the house.”

“Could you keep me company for a couple of hours? It’s been boring and quiet all day. I need to socialize, even if it’s with you.”

“Thanks...I think. Well, what about Dave? Won’t he stop by after work, knowing that you’re sick?”

“Oh, he’s on a business trip. He won’t be back until Saturday.”

“Oh.”

“So will you stay for a while?”

“Um, yeah, sure. I’ll stay.”

He plopped next to Mindy on the couch and started to watch a Woody Allen movie. It wasn’t long before they drifted off to asleep.

A sudden heaviness on his shoulder woke him up. He looked over and saw Mindy resting her head on his shoulder, curled up into him, clutching onto his arm. It was killing him. As much as he loved being this close to her again, he couldn’t keep doing this knowing she had a boyfriend.

He shifted away from her and carefully cradled her head to let it rest on the pillow. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at her, thinking of all the things they were and all the things they weren’t. He missed the domesticity he shared with Mindy when they were together. He heavily sighed and placed a light kiss on her forehead before mustering up everything he could to walk away, out of her apartment.

When Mindy woke up the next morning, she called out for Danny. When no one replied, she suddenly felt disappointed and alone.  
____________

“Hey, Mindy. I need your op-” He stopped upon entering Mindy’s office and seeing her lying on the floor. “Okay. What is it? What did he do?” He walked further into her office, shutting the door behind him, and knelt beside her.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Come on. Look who you’re talking to. Spill. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!”

“Mindy.”

She sighed.“Dave cancelled our date tonight and kind of broke up with me.”

Upon hearing the news, he laid down beside her, staring at the white ceiling. “I’m sorry, Min.”

“Ugh, I feel so stupid.” She let out a heavy sigh, knowing that another failed relationship is on her shoulders.

He turned to face her. “Why?”

“Because once again, I thought everything was going well, when obviously he thought otherwise. We’d been dating for 5 months with no problem, and then he flipped the switch on me. You know what he said to me when he broke up with me? ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’” She scoffed at the phrase before continuing. “And you and I both know he really means it’s me. You know, maybe he’s right. Maybe it really is me. Maybe I slowly annoyed him over these past few months, and then he just couldn’t take it anymore.”

“How could you say that? He’s the stupid one, not you.”

“I guess.”

“No. You, Mindy Lahiri, are a wonderful, smart, generous, attractive, and caring person. Any guy would be lucky to have you, and if they don’t see what I what see in you, then _they’re_ not good enough for _you_.”

She turned to face him, and they were suddenly nose to nose. “Thanks, Danny. You’re a great friend. You always know what to say.” She smiled at him and gave his hand a small squeeze.

“That’s what I’m here for.” He returned the gesture and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead before releasing her hand and standing up. He reached a hand towards her for her to grab onto. With a smile, she grabbed on tightly and hoisted herself up.

Danny lightly grasped her arms and looked her squarely in the eyes. “You’re gonna be fine, alright? Don’t worry.”

She nodded. “I know. Thanks again, Danny.”

He gave her a smile and her arms a light squeeze before releasing her from his grasp. “Okay. I don’t want to see you lying on the floor again because of Dave. He’s not worth it.” With that, he left her office, medical file forgotten, and he never saw her lie on the floor again.


	7. Find Out That My Love Was Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's like an 8 month time jump here from when Dave broke up with Mindy to the beginning of this chapter. I don't know why I specifically chose 8 months, but I just needed a long period of time to coincide with Danny's speech at the end, and I guess justify what he said for a bit. Hope you enjoy! (: As always, feel free to comment!

She quickly walked into his office with a smile and took a seat across from him. “Hey Danny, what are you doing four weeks from Saturday?”

He looked away from his computer to face her. “Uhh, I don’t know. Why?”

“Because Jamie and Lucy’s wedding is that night, and I need a date.”

“What? Why? No, take someone else like Jeremy or Peter. Take Peter. He went with you to Josh’s wedding, and that turned out okay.”

“Ugh, Jeremy would slob over every available woman there and Peter would probably sleep with the bride like last time. Besides, we were supposed to go to that wedding together, but you bailed. You owe me.”

“I owe you? No, no, no, no, no. I was spending time with Richie. I don’t think that constitutes as bailing on you. Nope, I’m not going.“

“Why not?!”

“Because it’s weird! We both went out with these people, and they dumped us for each other. Plus, I have to put on a suit and tie, and just..It’s a hassle.”

* * *

“I cannot _believe_ I let you drag me into this,” Danny complained, tugging at his shirt collar as he entered the reception hall with Mindy.

“Come on! Don’t be a Debbie Downer.” She scanned the room for their table.

“Who? My name is Danny!”

“Ugh,” she groaned, rolling her eyes at him. “Point is, you’re here, and there’s no turning back. Try to have some fun, Danny!” When they reached their table, Danny pulled out the chair for her. “Thanks.”

“Fine. So what’s your plan for this wedding? Drunk speech? Meatball fight?” He teased.

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. The plan, my friend, is just to enjoy it.”

“Ha, okay.”

“What? You don’t believe me?!”

“Not one bit.”

“Why?”

“Because you haven’t seen these people in almost three years, and you want to give off this put together vibe. I get it, but you shouldn’t worry about what anyone else thinks. You don’t have to prove anything to these people.”

“I know I don’t. I’m a hot, young Manhattan doctor, but it still sucks showing up here three years later, knowing I made zero progress in the love department.”

“That’s ridiculous. Who said that life is measured by how much success you have in your love life? What happened to just being happy? Shouldn’t that be enough? Love shouldn’t be a competition.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I am right. Let’s go get some food. I’m starving.”

After the speeches, dinner, and dessert, almost everyone migrated to the dance floor, except for Danny and Mindy, who were slumped over their half eaten plates of fish and their respective alcoholic beverages.

“Ugh, look at everyone all happy,” Mindy huffed before taking a swig of wine.

“Well, it’s a wedding reception, Min. It’s supposed to be a happy occasion.” He generously took a drink of his beer.

“I wonder what we look like to people,” she mused.

He choked on his beer, sending liquid everywhere. He coughed heartily and wiped his mouth with a napkin before continuing. “What?”

“I mean, almost everyone is out there dancing except us. I wonder what people think of us.”

“Does it really matter? We hardly know these people.”

“I bet we look like Debbie Downers.”

“No, you’re Mindy, and I’m Danny. Why do you keep calling us Debbie?!”

“It’s a saying, Danny! It means that we’re killing the life of the party. Get with the times!”

She looked back at the dance floor and saw how happy everyone looked. For a moment, she considered asking him to dance. She felt so out of place being almost the only person not on the dance floor. She took another gulp of wine, hoping the alcohol will bolster her resolve. “Do you wanna dance?”

“Do I-Um, not really.”

“Why not?! It’s not like you don’t know how to dance.”

“Yeah, but…” He looked over his shoulder at the dance floor, where the children and single people were beginning to return to their seats and only the couples were starting to sway to the change in music. He really did want to dance with Mindy, but slow dancing was too romantic and intimate.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost didn’t see Mindy stand up and offer her hand out to him. She had such a hopeful look on her face that he couldn’t say no to her. He took another swig of beer and placed his hand in hers as she led the way to the dance floor.

When they reached the center of the floor, he chastely put a hand on her hip while she placed her hand on his shoulder. They gently swayed to piano ballad. As the song progressed, Mindy slowly closed the gap between them, wrapping her arm around his neck, and resting her head on his shoulder. Danny slightly tensed up ever so slightly at the increased contact, but he kept dancing because he didn’t want to ruin whatever this... moment is. He decided to enjoy it and listen to the music, which he completely related to.

**Pack up and leave everything,**  
 **Don't you see what I can bring**  
 **Can't keep this beating heart at bay**  
 **Set my midnight sorrow free,**  
 **I will give you all of me**

As he looked down at her, it’s like everything clicked. He suddenly realized that he couldn’t do this anymore, being the back up guy, being just her friend. It just wasn’t enough...not like it used to be. She was like a drug he had tried to quit because he thought it would be for the best. But he was wrong. So wrong. Ever since they broke up, he’d been trying to get a taste of that drug in any shape or form he could get, but it was never like the first time. He needed her, he wanted her, and she was crucial to him, selfishly so.

But he has so much to give and offer her. He has as much love to give her as much as she can give him, and he hates that she can’t see it. If she hasn’t seen it this past year or even these past couple of years, he wonders if she’ll ever see it.

He stopped swaying to the music, the tension taking over his body again. Mindy felt the sudden shift and lifted her head to face him.

“Is everything okay?”

“Mindy, I can’t do this anymore.” He dropped the hand from her waist and lowered his left, which Mindy hesitantly released.

“Oh...Are you talking about the dancing? We don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought it’d be fun.”

“No, no, I don’t mean the dancing. I mean everything. I’m sorry.” He turned around and headed for the nearest exit.

It took her a second to register Danny’s retreating figure. “Wait...I-Danny!” She ran after him, storming out of the ballroom and into the hallway. “Danny, stop!”

He stopped and looked down at his feet, putting his hands on his hips.

“What are you talking about?”

He took a deep breath and turned around, catching Mindy by surprise with the pain in his eyes. _God, it’s like the night he broke up with me all over again_ , Mindy thought.

“I can’t do this anymore, Mindy. Us. This. Whatever _this_ is," he gestured between them. "I thought I could do it, but I can’t. I thought I could be your friend because this is what you wanted, and I respect that. But…God, Mindy, I just can’t be your back up guy when a relationship with someone else fails or when it’s convenient for you. It’s not enough for me, not anymore.”

“I-I don’t...What?”

“Look, I was fine with being your friend after you decided you didn’t want to be with me because at least I still had you in my life. I thought that maybe one day you would change your mind about me, about us, but it’s been almost a year, Mindy, and I don’t know how much longer I can wait for you.”

“No one said you had to wait for me, Danny,” she quietly whispered. “Or that I was gonna come running back to you,” she continued, voice rising slightly.

“I know, I know, but I wanted to, and in some ways, I needed to. I have never felt this way about _anyone_ except for you, Mindy. I couldn’t let you go that easily. I still believe in us. I still think we can have something wonderful together, but I’m tired of waiting. I hate to say it, I do, because you’re always worth waiting for, but I don’t know anymore. I mean, you-you ask me to make soup for you, be your date to a wedding, slow dance with you, and then you put your arm around me? You treat me like I’m your boyfriend, and I’m not. You were the one who decided you didn’t want me like it was so terrible to love me, like I wasn’t worth the risk. Then you tell me things like Dave didn’t want you or he didn’t think you were good enough when you know damn well that I do want you and that I do think you’re more than good enough. I die a little inside when you can’t see...”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes, willing away the tears that threatened to escape.

“See what, Danny?”

“When you can’t see that I’m in love you, that,” he sighed heavily as he limply dropped his hands to his side. “That I could be the guy who makes you happy, and that I’ll try every day to be the man you finally deserve,” he said, his voice becoming smaller and smaller, feeling a little stupid for even thinking she would take him back.

“I-I’m sorry, Danny. I didn’t know.”

“No, don’t be sorry, but just...Just decide. Decide if you want to be with me or not because I can’t be _just_ friends with you anymore. I _want_ to be with you and build a life with you, Mindy...but if you don’t want the same things, if you don’t see any sort of future with me as something more than friends, then tell me now. Please.” He shakily breathed out.

Part of him hoped she would say, “Yes, I want you too. Let’s do it,” but all he saw in her eyes was confusion and fear, and he just knew. He swallowed the lump in his throat, bracing himself for the worst.

“I-I don’t know.”

He nodded, wiping away the tears, and walked away.


	8. Dreams Come True

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yay, this is finally done! This chapter is shorter than I thought it would be, but I think it wraps things up okay. I feel like there's something missing in this chapter, but if I waited any longer to finish this, I would never finish it haha Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story and for sticking around. I know I haven't been the best at updating this thing regularly lol I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I certainly hope it was worth the wait (:

She stood there, staring blankly at where he once stood. The need to cry overwhelmed her, and she let out a straggling whimper, quickly hunching over and covering her mouth to muffle her sobs. She pressed her back against the wall and slid down.

Her mind was racing. Pictures of Danny flashed through and memories of their moments together made her head spin. She mentally berated herself for not seeing it sooner, for wasting so much time, and for hurting Danny. He was right in front of her this whole entire time, and she pushed him away. All because of what? Because she was scared? It was definitely a valid reason, but he wanted to give her everything she ever wanted, and she didn't even give him a chance.

She mustered up as much strength as she could and stood up, before smoothing out her dress and wiping her eyes. She lowered her head as she walked back into the banquet hall to retrieve her clutch. She ran down the hallway and out into the night, squealing when the rain hit her body. She hailed a cab and once inside, she called Danny multiple times, willing him to pick up, but he never did.

* * *

After he left Mindy at the banquet, Danny wandered aimlessly throughout the city, ignoring the phone calls that he knew came from her. He finally settled on a bar to drink away this heavy cloud over him. He sat at the bar for a couple of hours, throwing back shot after shot of whiskey. Thoroughly buzzed, but not quite drunk, Danny walked out of the bar into the rain. He turned his head left and right, looking for an available cab. When he didn't find one, he started walking in the direction of his apartment, not caring if he'd be soaking wet by the time he makes it home.

Just before he reached his apartment, he heard tires screeching to a stop. He turned around to find Mindy scrambling out of a cab.

"Mindy?" He slicked up his hair and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't so drunk that he started seeing things. "What are you doing here?!"

"I need to talk to you," she replied, almost breathlessly.

"Oh, okay, but let's go inside." He started to guide her towards his apartment. "You're shivering, and you're going to get completely soaked."

She swatted his hands away. "Danny, I don't care about that. I've been looking everywhere for you, and I need to tell you something that cannot wait."

He swallowed hard. "Okay."

"I thought about what you said, and I realized it was stupid to push you away when you so clearly want to make this work, to be with me, and to give me everything I ever wanted. I was scared kind of in the same way you were. I didn't want to lose you, so I kept you as a friend because that was better than not having you at all. It just took me a hell of a lot longer than you to realize that it wasn't what I really wanted. And I was scared of being everything to you. I've always been the person who gave more love than received it. No guy has ever loved me like you have, and I didn't know how to handle that. I'm terrified, Danny, but I _promise_ you that I'm gonna try just as hard to make it work too because I love you."

Wasting no time and eliminating any space between them, he pulled her flush against him, and crushed his lips onto hers, desperately kissing her like his life depended on it. She clutched onto the lapels of his suit and sighed into his mouth, reveling in his warmth despite being drenched in rain. He slowly pulled away, eyes still closed, and rested his forehead on hers.

"I love you so much, Danny, and I'm sorry for wasting so much time."

He shook his head and pushed away the hair that clung to her forehead. "I don't care. I'm just glad you're here now. I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too."

"This is it, okay? You're it for me."

"Danny, was that a proposal?"

He chuckled. "No, not yet. That's gonna come later. I hope you're okay with that."

"Yeah, I'm okay with that."

"Good." He kissed her again, more slowly this time because now, they have all the time in the world.


End file.
